It seems safe to say that the common Virginia student does not know what is involved in ballroom dancing.
Their perceptions are probably formed from television or movie images of fancily attired dancers circling around each other to the tunes of a waltz. To some degree, this is true for the Ballroom Dance Club at Virginia, but for this large group, fun comes in many dances.
"The club's main aim is to promote ballroom dancing and dancing in general, since we love all kinds, both as a social avenue and as a physical and competitive activity," Graduate student David Rosario said.
The 100-member group, promoted as one of the largest club sports at the University, competes under the rules and regulations established by USA Dance, the U.S. version of the International DanceSport Federation.
There are two distinct styles of dance that Virginia students train to perform at competitions -- standard/smooth and Latin/rhythm. The standard/smooth style, centered around movement on the floor, includes the traditional European and North American dances such as the waltz, foxtrot and tango. On the other hand, the Latin/rhythm style includes dances with Latin descent such as the rumba, cha cha and samba, which are danced on the spot.
With the help of three different professional instructors, club members are given the coaching to help them practice on their own and with their partners. Lee Santos, Donna Barringer (who travels from Lynchburg every Sunday) and Peter Collins (a Virginia alumnus who travels from New York City every Tuesday) form the group of instructors that prepare the students for their competitions.
"All in all, competitions tend to be relatively friendly," Club Internal Affairs President Stephanie Doupnik said. "For the most part, dancers enjoy dancing and want to encourage others to dance as well, so any rivalries tend to be friendly. That being said, many dancers are very self-driven to do their very best. So it's more of a competition against your own personal best than against other dancers."
The Ballroom Dance Club participates in two to three competitions every year against schools such as Georgetown, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, NYU, Columbia, Rutgers, North Carolina, William & Mary, Duke and N.C. State.
"Dance competitions are a sight to behold," Rosario said. "Loads of people in costume, lots of cheering for favorite couples, stretching and warming up, people working on moves and footwork. When one is out on the floor, it is necessary to not only dance well, but engage the audience and work with the music."
In addition to providing an opportunity for an engaging physical activity, ballroom dancing provides a social outlet for hard-working college students.
"I love ballroom dancing," Club Secretary Erin Golub said. "It is one of my favorite sports because first of all it is beautiful and graceful, but there is also an element of competitiveness in it. We always have something to work for, to improve."
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